The Heartbeat of Cambridgeshire

Gift Aid

If you Gift Aid your donation, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust will continue to receive an additional 28p. East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust can claim Gift Aid tax relief of 25p on every pound you give. HMRC will also be operating transitional provisions for Gift Aid donations made from 6 April 2008 until 5 April 2011, paying a Government supplement of 3p on every pound you give.

How much Gift Aid will my donation generate?
Use our Gift Aid calculator to find out how much extra money your donation will be worth if you sign up for Gift Aid.

How can I sign up for Gift Aid?
All you need to do is complete our online Gift Aid declaration form or email us our downloadable Gift Aid declaration form (pdf)

How does Gift Aid work?
Gift Aid is one of the easiest ways to make your donation tax effective. The charity you are supporting reclaims the basic rate tax from the Inland Revenue. There is no extra cost to you and the process is simple – all you have to do is make a Gift Aid declaration.

What does the Gift Aid declaration commit me to?
Absolutely nothing! It just ensures that if you choose to donate to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, we can claim an extra 25* per cent back from the Inland Revenue.
*For any gift aided donations, which were made before 6 April 2008, we will be able to claim back 28 per cent.

What is a Gift Aid declaration?
It is simply a statement by an individual taxpayer that they want a charity to get back from the Inland Revenue the tax paid on their donation. This is a great way to add 28* per cent to the value of your gift to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust without it costing you a penny more!
*For any donations you make after 6 April 2008 it will be 25 per cent.

Gift Aid - do I qualify?
For every £1 you donate in a financial year, you must have paid 28p* in income or capital gains tax in the same financial year to qualify for Gift Aid.
*For any donations you make after 6 April 2008 you must have paid 25p in income or capital gains tax in the same financial year to qualify for Gift Aid.

How do I know if I pay UK income or capital gains tax?
You pay these taxes if:

* income tax is taken from your wages or salary before you receive your pay
* you pay tax after filling in a self-assessment form each year
* you have any taxable savings (in a Building Society, for instance), or a pension plan, or investment income
* you have paid any capital gains tax, on the sale of a property or some shares, for instance

If any of these applies to you, please complete and return your declaration so the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust can reclaim the tax on your donations. NB Inheritance tax does not count as UK income or capital gains tax.

Why does it work out at 28* pence for every pound given?
Although basic rate tax is currently 22 per cent, the donation for £1 is treated as the net after tax from £1.28 (£1.28 minus 22 per cent is approximately £1). we get back the 28 pence.
*When the basic rate tax changes to 20 per cent, the donation for £1 is treated as the net after tax from £1.25 (£1.25 minus 20 per cent is £1). we get back the 25 pence.

What if I don't pay UK tax?
Then, unfortunately, you are not able to make a Gift Aid declaration.

What if I'm a pensioner?
You may still pay tax on a private pension plan or a savings account, or pay capital gains tax if you sell property or shares. If so, please tick the Gift Aid declaration.

What if I'm a higher rate taxpayer?
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust can only directly claim back at the basic rate but please complete and return the declaration anyway.
However, as a higher rate taxpayer, if you declare your donations on your tax return, you can claim a rebate based on the difference between the higher rate and the basic rate when you fill in your self-assessment form.

From April 2004 the self-assessment form covering returns for 2003/04 allows you to nominate a charity to receive any rebate that you are due. The Inland Revenue will pass the repayment directly to the charity. So please consider this simple way to add even more to your gift to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
For example, if a higher rate taxpayer makes donations totalling £100 over a year, on top of the £28 that we can claim back directly, you can reclaim as much as £23 from the taxman.

What if I'm a lower rate taxpayer?
If you pay a lower rate (10 per cent or 20 per cent), The NHS Trust can still claim back 28p* for each £1 you donate, provided you pay enough tax to cover the claim in the tax year you make the gift(s).
*For any donations you make after 6 April 2008 it will be 25p.

What if I make my donations via CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)?
If you normally make donations via CAF, tax has already been reclaimed. However, please fill in the declaration anyway so that any separate donations you might make are tax effective as well.

What if I buy raffle tickets?
Purchases such as raffle tickets or items from the catalogue are not treated by the Inland Revenue as donations and so the Gift Aid declaration does not apply to them. However, please fill in the declaration to cover any additional or separate donations.

Can Gift Aid be applied to events sponsorship?
Yes, in most cases - please see sponsorship forms for more details. If you are being sponsored or sponsoring someone else, for example someone running the London Marathon, please Gift Aid eligible contributions. Remember each sponsor needs to include their home address and postcode to enable for the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust to reclaim the tax.

How long does the declaration last for?
To simplify matters for both you and East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the declaration wording normally covers present, future and past donations. We are able to claim on any gifts made since the Gift Aid scheme was revised on 6 April 2000, as long as you are eligible.

Who will have access to this information about me?
Only the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Inland Revenue. We will not share it with anyone else.